Biarritz Meetings

Biarritz Meetings

 

diplomatic meetings between Napoleon III and Bismarck in October 1864 and October 1865 at the resort of Biarritz (France).

While preparing for war with Austria, Bismarck tried to secure the benevolent neutrality of France. Napoleon III was given to understand that Prussia was ready to compensate France by not opposing French territorial expansion at the expense of Luxembourg and Belgium. Napoleon III believed that a war between Prussia and Austria would drag on and give France an opportunity to act as arbiter. After the Biarritz meetings Bismarck had reason to expect that France would not oppose his plans, which culminated in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866.

REFERENCE

Istoriia diplomatii, 2nd ed., vol. 1. Moscow, 1959. Pages 719–22.